The journey to her house felt like a never-ending adventure, with the road stretching out before her, the only sound the gentle crunch of tires on asphalt. A light dusting of snow filled the air, adding a touch of magic to the scene. Despite the wintry chill, the sun was already warm enough to make her shed her coat. Her feet were growing numb in her boots, and even her fingers felt the cold creeping in. Goosebumps prickled her skin, and she couldn't help but shiver.
"G5, can you turn off the air conditioner for a bit?" she asked, breaking the silence in the car.
"Sure thing," the car's voice responded cheerfully. "How about some music to keep you company?"
She hesitated for a moment before replying, "Just play anything. It doesn't have to be good, I just need something to distract me from my thoughts right now."
Sinking back into the seat, she felt a bit ridiculous talking to an empty car as it cruised down the road. Closing her eyes, she let the music wash over her, letting its soothing melody calm her racing mind.
Suddenly, a jolt shook her awake, and a voice from the car urged her to secure her seatbelt. Panic surged through her as she feared they had hit something or someone.
"Relax, Miss Reynolds, we're fine. Just a minor encounter with an oncoming enemy," G5 assured her.
Another bump made her look out the window, only to see a massive wolf with the size of a horse growling and trying to attack the car. Her hands flew to cover her mouth in shock.
"Oh my goodness! Is he… is he going to devour us whole?" Mia gasped in fear.
"Don't worry, Miss Reynolds. He's just a feral werewolf, likely never seen a human before, especially one like you. He's either trying to rip your head off or...well, mate with you," G5 dodged the wolf's attempts with lightning speed.
Mia's heart raced at the thought. "Okay, G5, your words are not exactly comforting."
"No need to fret, Miss. I've already sent an alert to Alpha Holt," G5 reassured her.
She was determined to ask more questions, but suddenly, the massive animal managed to flip the car, sending it soaring in slow motion across the road. They crashed into a line of trees, sending the car's roof flying into the air. With a thunderous roar, the wolf charged through the wreckage, leaving deep gouges in the ground and snapping branches off nearby trees.
Hanging upside down, she struggled to free herself from the seatbelt with one hand while reaching for the dashboard with the other. A branch snagged her hair, tearing into her scalp. Ignoring the pain, she howled as she tried to reach the console of G5, but her fingers refused to cooperate. She felt herself being dragged away as the wolf lunged towards her in desperation.
As the wolf pulled her out of the car, she screamed as it sank its teeth into her leg. Her scream turned into a pained whimper as blood spilled onto the wolf's muzzle while he dragged her into the woods, toward an uncertain fate. The pain in her calf momentarily distracted her from her fear until she realized this could be her final moments.
In an instant, he shifted back into a human, tears streaming down her face as she fought against him, to no avail. He stripped off her clothing and tossed her to the ground. Pinned beneath him, she was unable to move. His weight pressed down on her body, the dirt seeping into her bare skin as the wolf continued to grind against her. She kicked and scratched in an attempt to fend him off, until a distant roar pierced the darkness.
"Yuri!" she screamed, spotting the wolfman's head peering through the trees. He snarled and growled, warning her to be quiet, but fear and hope overrode her judgment.
"Yuri, I'm here!" she shouted, causing him to jump back in surprise before shifting and fleeing for cover. He vanished in seconds, leaving behind a trail of blood and shredded leaves. Her injured leg throbbed, a large chunk of flesh torn away, blood flowing freely.
Yuri quickly removed his shirt to cover her bruised body and carried her to another car, rushing her to the hospital. When he saw her, he froze. "Your leg."
Her stomach churned as she noticed the blood staining his shirt sleeve. Swallowing her nausea, she said softly, "It's okay, I need to go to the hospital anyway." Though it wasn't entirely true, she hoped to receive treatment for the bleeding as soon as possible.